Senators in both parties are trying to use the farm bill to go after EPA regulations and permits as a potential last-ditch effort to affect agency policy before the election.

The amendments range from the usual moves against the agency’s renewable fuels mandate and so-called farm dust controls to efforts to limit pesticide permits and boost the power of the agency’s liaison to farmers.

Several amendments bear the fingerprints of Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. For example, she’s on a bipartisan list of senators behind an amendment from Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) exempting some pesticides already covered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act from Clean Water Act permits.

The dual regulation is “just not necessary. I mean, why would you make somebody fill out the same stuff more than one time?” McCaskill said Thursday.

The amendment also would require the Environmental Protection Agency to report to Congress on the status of coordination between the agency’s water and pesticide offices, analyze current pesticide regulations and, according to the text, recommend how FIFRA could be modified “to better protect water quality and human health.”

“This doesn’t impact the environment,” McCaskill said.

Green groups disagree and have labeled the amendment’s defeat as one of their top priorities in the farm bill debate. They say it won’t help farmers — except for those that grow crops in water, like rice and cranberries — and note that the Clean Water Act already exempts agricultural irrigation runoff from permits.

“No — this amendment wouldn’t help farmers one bit,” according to a memo to Senate staff from the NRDC. “And who would it harm? Your constituents who drink, fish or swim in our waters.”

McCaskill also is pushing an amendment codifying the role of chief agriculture counsel at EPA and requiring that this farming liaison weigh in on regulations before they are issued. And she has signed on to an amendment offered by Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) to prevent the EPA from imposing rules on farm dust, although the agency has said it has no such plans.

McCaskill, who is a prime target of Republicans in her 2012 reelection, wants voters to remember her role in the farm-dust issue, as well as the part she played in a child labor rule that the Labor Department proposed and withdrew after an outcry from farmers.

“I’m glad I had a part in killing both of them,” she said. “I want to make sure no one forgets I had a part in killing both of them.”

As for Johanns, he has offered another amendment that would stop any attempt to do aerial surveillance or record images of agricultural operations.

“This is almost creepy,” he said Thursday before relaying complaints from farmers and ranchers about EPA surveillance. “All we’re saying is, look, until you give us the information about what you’re doing, how you’re using the information, we want this stopped.”

Environment and Public Works ranking member Sen. Jim Inhofe has proposed amendments to stymie agency stormwater and oil storage tank regulations.

His amendment with Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) would make the EPA review new stormwater rules before they are issued. Another, with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), would exempt smaller above-ground oil storage tanks from EPA spill-prevention controls and would allow all farmers who are regulated to self-certify their plans.

Multiple GOP amendments seek to repeal the congressionally mandated renewable fuels mandate that EPA oversees, including one from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) that combines that repeal with a permanent repeal of the estate tax.

A fact sheet sent by the Clean Water Network to its members Thursday titled, “Is Congress protecting clean water? I wouldn’t bet the farm on it,” points to several amendments.

It includes one from Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) to block an EPA and Army Corps of Engineers clean water guidance, one from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that the environmental group said would “effectively repeal the Clean Water Act” — and one from Sen. Mario Rubio (R-Fla.) to stop EPA nutrient criteria in his state.

It’s unclear whether any of these will see the light of day.

Senate leaders are still trying to whittle the list of more than 250 amendments to a manageable level.

Senate agriculture committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) on Thursday said progress had been made “that will allow us to move forward” next week. The next scheduled Senate vote is Monday afternoon, though it is on a nomination and is unrelated to the farm bill.